An endorsement in two colors: Painters back Murray, Reichert

The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, launching a coast-to-coast bus tour, delivered a surprise for the Monday morning after Labor Day.

Splitting its ticket here, the IUPAT met with and endorsed Republican Rep. Dave Reichert at the Sea-Tac Hilton, then drove to the Machinists’ hall to join a rally for Democratic Sen. Patty Murray.

Ray Sesma, vice-president of the IUPAT, showered praise on Murray — “Patty Murray is second to none as a senator” — but discreetly avoided mentioning Reichert by name before a crowd of leather-lunged Democrats.

“This particular person we supported this morning has a record of supporting the minimum wage and other things,” Sesma said, referring to Reichert. He had argued a moment earlier, “It’s not about Republicans and Democrats, it’s about those who care about people.”

Tom Buffenbarger, president of the Machinists Union, was in Seattle to pump up support for Murray.

A trio of national polls, released in the last week, have revealed an “enthusiasm gap” going into the November election. Republicans are more jazzed up and likely to vote than Democrats.

Describing Murray as “a great lady,” Buffenbarger delivered a stem-winding speech centered on Murray’s lengthy effort to secure a multi-billion-dollar Air Force tanker contract for Boeing.

“If it were not for Patty, ladies and gentlemen, Europe (Airbus) would be building the tanker right now,” Buffenbarger declared.

He raised a recent Dino Rossi endorsement by Sen. Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, who promoted and championed Boeing’s decision to take its second 787 “Dreamliner” assembly plant out of the Northwest and put it in the Palmetto State.

The crowd hissed at mention of DeMint, so much that Murray recycled her South Carolina colleague a few moments later.

Murray seemed to be assuming a new title on Monday — State Mom.

“As a mom,” said the senator, she is committed to getting the state’s economy back on track. As a “tough mom,” she talked about cleaning up and “ending greed” on Wall Street.

“Who’d let Wall Street get back to gambling with America’s future? I found him. Dino Rossi,” Murray said.

Of course, there was an allusion to Murray’s longest-held title as a “mom in tennis shoes” who climbed the ladder from Shoreline School Board to Washington State Senate to the U.S. Senate.

“Lace up your tennis shoes,” she cried. “Don’t let any union member sit at home and not vote.”

Labor will be essential if Democrats hope to close that “enthusiasm gap” in the 56 days of campaign time remaining.